TEHRAN – Iran has temporarily closed cultural heritage museums and historical sites in 15 provinces in a preventive measure amid fears of coronavirus outbreak.

“Cultural heritage museums and historical sites will be closed (as of today) until the end of the week (February 28) in 15 provinces, which face the risk of virus outbreak,” ILNA quoted Mohammadreza Kargar, the director of museums and historical properties at the tourism ministry, as saying on Sunday.

The reopening is pending further notice and may be prolonged to next weeks, the official noted.

Tehran, Alborz, East Azarbaijan, Isfahan, Lorestan, Gilan, Markazi, Golestan, Zanjan, Hamedan, Qazvin, Kordestan, Semnan, Kermanshah are amongst provinces so far coronavirus infections has been emerged, the report said.

Iranian government has also closed down schools and religious seminaries in the holy city of Qom, where the virus first killed two elderly patients last week. Schools in Tehran and four other cities were closed as well, starting Sunday for two days.

Some 25 million people toured museums and other heritage sites (which have entry fees and are affiliated with the Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism Handicrafts) during the past year (1397), Kargar announced last May.

AFM/MG